I'm a retired NWN1 & 2 builder and have started getting a little excited over the imminent arrival of the DA toolset. Most of my building was for the ALFA persistent world where over 6 years I built Waterdeep, Skullport, Silverymoon, Baldur's Gate, Loudwater and lots of other stuff. If you want to see my work it's on my project site which is linked through my DA project page (see sig).
I want to share some of the lessons I've learned, mostly through making mistakes and trying again, some of which others have shared with me.
1. Learn the shortcuts
I noticed on the Wiki this link:
http://social.biowar...x.php/Shortcuts
Building takes many hours and requires hundreds of individual actions every hour. Reduce your reliance on the mouse and increase your working efficiency by using shortcuts as often as possible. Thanks to whoever made that wiki page. It was the first thing I looked at.
2. Discovery > Instruction
Learn the toolset through discovery, not by reading the manual. If you don't agree, read the manual. When you get stuck, read the manual....if a manual exists. Not sure if one does. I usually print off any instruction I find useful and keep it in a folder which I then read when I'm not at the computer.
3. Less is more
If in doubt, fewer tress, single placeables and the least number of mobs possible. Even if your system can handle much, much more. Assume most players of your mod will have minimum spec. As a design principle, less is more has weight. While a thousand trees may look more like a forest, use the time saved placing 100 trees instead by tweaking lighting, SFX and considered placement of your trees.
It's worth noting also that an area you spend more time stripping things out of than putting things in will waste considerably more of your time than one which possesses few enough to run effectively straight up.
4. Variation > Population
Five rocks each with a slightly different tint and rotation look better than 50 rocks of the same color identically aligned. This is true of mobs also. The human eye easily detects uniformity. But subtle changes are quite noticeable to the discerning eye, and it makes a considerable impact in a module if each item is a considered choice rather than a mindless mass.
5. Never stop saving under different filenames and in different locations
I hear the new toolset is stable, but hard drives remain fallible. Nothing excuses lost work nowadays, nor does anything cripple enthusiasm more. (As I went to post this thread, I hit Ctrl-B...don't ask why...and was transported to another page...for a moment I thought I'd lost this whole post and momentarily thought 'I'm not rewriting it'. Learn how to keep your work safe as a priority.)
6. Trust your vision
Mr. Miyagi had it right when he told Daniel-son to picture the perfect bonzai tree and then to trust the image in his head. Lie in bed and imagine what an area should look like, trust that vision and built to it.
7. Finish a project
As an experienced (old) school teacher it's easy to see what discourages kids more than anything else...most of them don't know how to finish something as strongly as they started. My advice is to finish somehting small and manageable first, with clearly defined paramters. Ambition and enthusiasm quickly run dry in the face of endless obstacles and disappointments. Finish something small, then replicate that project at the start of the next project. Build upon successes.
8. Don't build in a vacuum
Share how you build, share secrets and tips, listen to the advice of others, try new ways of building, improve your efficiency by recongzining your tried and true method wasn't as good as you thought it was. Building in a vacuum, without support or feedback, generally leads to burnout. What you regard as your own poor efforts will no doubt be considered by some to be much, much better than theirs. There will be some superstar builders whose work will make others question the worth of their own efforts. Don't. Post your work. Screenshots are the best way of being supported. Do it regularly.
9. Take your time
A rushed module may lead to discouraging feedback. Look at the Vault as an example. Most of the truly loved modules came out years after the game was released.
10. If it's not fun, do something else
Building is awesome fun and I love it, but it is not as much fun as a picnic, a date, a concert, a good film with a friend, cooking (under certain circumstances), sunsets, drinking buddies, some books, and should never get in the way of time you should be spending with your kids. The moment it's not fun, seriously, do something else.
Good luck, and please post your own philosophies and tips.
Noin Dwarf:
11. Don't work alone.
If you have any possibility, try to make a
group of adherents, who like your ideas. Almost nobody can do all the
work alone to make a great mod - some good in making scenarios, some
love to create landscapes (f.e. me), some even to script! If you will
work on mod in group, there will be much bigger chance that you will
complete it. And it'll be good. (And IMO this is much more fun)
Beerfish:
12. Learn in stages
Do not get overwhelmed by the amount of features/buttons/tools in any
toolset. Approach different areas of the toolset one at a time and
forget about all the settings and toolset that you may never use.
EdwinPF
13. Work to a plan
Start with a written outline of your module - the areas, quests, NPCS and creatures
14. Set achieveable goals
Have a written action plan with goal dates for completing each phase of your module.
CID-78
15. Set realistic timelines
Everything takes alot longer then you think. you should atleast multiply your estimated by 2.
16. Don't stop experimenting
make sure there is room for experiment/prototype and learning in your
planning. and not only what the final product will contain.
Doombringer_sec
17. Do your homework
Before actually starting solid work, do some research on similar
things. if you do a desert mod, look up images of a real desert. If you
create a skin texture, you should look at the skin of the item in real
first. This will avoid alot of mistakes, and counts for almost
anything, at least from my point of view.
Hassukissa
18. Make the kind of module YOU want to play
Make the kind of module YOU want to play, and make it primarily for
your own entertainment, and try to ignore the forum buzz going on about
what OTHER designers are doing.
I'll elaborate a little.
It's easy to get caught up by the forums/fans, those never-ending
threads of 'what do people want to see in modules?' and the somewhat
binary approach of generic forum population when things totally suck
unless it is their current favorite. It's very easy to start comparing
your project to someone else's who gets a lot of positive buzz, and
feel discouraged.
Don't get discouraged, believe in your
own project. If you like to play it (and you should, since you are the
primary playtester), chances are high there are others who will like it
as well.
wearyvagrant
19. Research before asking
Don't be shy about asking questions but search for the answer before
you do. Even if it's just the forums you want to post in. I mention
this because it can be disheartening (at least I find it to be) to post
a question and have no one answer. I have found that sometimes, because
the answer has been given so many times, people might skip over the
post. Sniff around the forums first to see if the question has been
answered. If it hasn't then post away and state that you have looked
else where. I have found people are more open to respond if they know
you have put forth some effort to find the answer yourself. Also don't
forget that if you haven't found the answer yourself it increases the
chances that your post will help someone else as well. Which is always
a plus.
Beerfish
20. Niche Modules
...there is nothing wrong with making a niche module. It
will be impossible to appeal to all people. Even the highest rated NWN
modules got their fair share of flack so follow the advice of the above
poster and make something you like and narrow the focus if you wish.
FalloutBoy
21. Objective distance
And try not to take it personally when some don't like the results of your hard work. Not everything will appeal to everyone.
Thirdpres
22. Mind your muse
In line with the last few comments, go where your muse takes you. Do
what you enjoy. It's been said that if you don't mind your muse, you'll
lose it.
I do think it is useful to
keep an eye on constructive criticism, but you need to want that and
you need to do what you feel is important for you and your work. You
are the builder all after all.
Modifié par indio, 02 novembre 2009 - 07:43 .
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